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Getting tough on fly-tippers?
THEcouncil’s ability to tackle fly- tipping has come under fire after it admitted it secured just ONE prosecution in 2018. Maidstone Borough Council
(MBC) says it issued 34 fixed penalty notices for illegaldumping andwaste carrying, and seized six vehicles, two of which were crushed. Seven warnings were given. But the Country Land and Busi-
ness Association (CLA) said the council must secure more convic- tions if a deterrentmessage is to be effective. Borough councillor Eddie Pow-
ell said the use of mobile, covert cameraswouldhelpsecure convic- tions and “will soon send a mes- sage out to offenders”. RobinEdwards, regionaldirector
of CLA South East, which repre- sents farmers, landowners and rural businesses, said: “Fly-tipping is a considerable probleminMaid- stone,with1,041 incidents reported in 2017/18, up on the 973 reported in 2016/17 and 796 in 2015/16. “The true figureswill be higher, asmany incidents go unreported.
“While it is encouraging to see
MBC taking direct action in some cases, it is vital thatmore prosecu- tions are brought forward. “Councils must send a message
to fly-tippers that they will face strict consequences. Imposing and enforcing stiffer penalties which better reflect the seriousness of the crime is crucial, alongwith seizing vehicles used to fly-tip.” Cllr Powell said covert cameras
can be used for up to 28 days. Leeds borough councillor Gill
Fort has been campaigning for cameras at the Burberry Lane hotspot for years. She said: “The trouble is that it is
just not enforced.” An MBC spokesman said: “To
proceed to a prosecution there needs to be solid evidence linking the waste back to the fly-tipper. Depending on the type ofwaste, it can be difficult to establish this. “Fixed penalty notices have a fi-
nancial impact on fly-tippers and are ameans of instantpunishment. The money raised is used to fund resources including CCTV and clean-up costs.”
Burglars chased to car
BURGLARS who targeted a home inMaidstone are being sought by offi- cers – despite leaving empty-handed. The incident happened at around 5pmonWednesday, January 9,when
threemenwere disturbed by the owners at a house on Queens Road. One of the victimswas pushed over as the suspects ran fromthe prem-
ises. They were chased by a second resident to a silver or grey four-door hatchback car near Langdale Rise,whichwas driven by a fourthman. The victimsaid he damaged thewindscreenwith a bottle and themen
threatened himbefore the vehiclewas driven off towards London Road. One of the suspects is described as white, in his early 20s, 5ft 10in tall,
slimandwearing dark clothing and a black andwhite scarf over his face. Two others were white, wearing dark clothing and white scarves over
their faces. Itwas later established that nothing had been stolen. Anyonewhohas information orCCTVordashcamfootage thatmayas-
sist the investigation is asked to call Kent Police on 01622 604100 quot- ing reference 46/5510/19, or callCrimestoppers in Kent, on 0800 555111.
Maidstone February 2019 11
01622 753073 |
clarkesfurnishers.co.uk Sandling Road, Maidstone, ME14 2RF
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